This is usually the trend: misinformed criticism of leftist activism or culture result in high-profile strawman arguments in popular media, which activists take great glee in tearing down. Real issues go unsolved, and both left and right further cement themselves into ironclad camps.

The Sloth’s Summer Guide

Whether you’re abroad doing charity work, on campus for a summer quarter internship or elsewhere enjoying a new and energizing scene, make time for some downtime to recover from the school year. The Sloth’s Summer Guide should springboard you into staying active and connected with yourself and the world around you. Try an activity or two, or try all ten!

Photo by Sophia Dao.

1. Make some noise: Learn an instrument! Give the ukulele a shot to bring tropical vibes wherever you are. If you want more versatility, try guitar or piano. For those who lean towards the shy side, check out the triangle, cowbell or kazoo. There’s something for everyone.

Photo by Sophia Dao.

2. Potatoes: Release your inner couch potato and try your hand at cooking! Even quality dining hall food gets boring after a while. Start simple with grilled cheese sandwiches and see how swiftly you can scale the cuisine ladder to make French macarons.

3. Oh, snap: They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Pick up a camera of any kind, and snap up memories wherever you go. Make your pictures worth two thousand words.

Photo by Sophia Dao

4. Stay active: Why not let your perfect summer body stay the perfect autumn, winter and spring body, too? Run like a swarm of mosquitoes wants your blood. Weightlift like your thesis depends on it. Gather some friends together and make your own game, like Calvinball.

7. Give, give, give: Lend a hand at a local animal shelter, nursing home or soup kitchen. There are always places in need of volunteers. Think about giving a small portion of your time to put a smile on someone else’s face without expecting anything in return.

Photo by Sophia Dao

8. Read: Soak up words! Rediscover a passage that once captivated you. Save new sentences that sing and sound just right. Comic books and cheesy novels count, too. Read what you enjoy. Enjoy what you read.

9. The art of conversation: For the daring and bold, strike up conversations with strangers in elevators or in public transportation with eye talk or actual speech. Try reaching out to that classmate you had coffee with once or twice. Maybe even ask your parents, siblings or friends how their weeks have really been.

10. Fountain hop: You’re only a real Stanford student once you’ve flailed about in a fountain, but because of the drought, our fountains aren’t currently operating. If you’re off campus, proceed to the nearest fountain to get your fix of this Cardinal tradition. For the campus-bound, a dive into the new Avery Recreation Pool will suffice.